Arundel Castle & Gardens, West Sussex

Last month, Mum and I went for a day trip to Arundel Castle. We had such a nice time exploring the old medieval castle and wandering around the beautiful gardens.

The restored medieval castle is based in Arundel in West Sussex. Founded at the end of the 11th century the castle was originally home to the Dukes of Norfolk. I was unable to take photos of inside the castle as photography is not permitted there, but the architecture’s lovely and is worth a look around.

I would definitely recommend visiting the gardens too. There’s lots of different areas to explore such as the rose garden and glass houses. My favourite area was the collector earls garden. This garden is full of pretty flowers, water fountains and a unique floating crown. You can also spend the day having a picnic in the beautiful gardens. If you don’t fancy a picnic Arundel castle also has a restaurant serving tea, cake, lunch and afternoon tea.

Arundel Castle

Arundel Castle History

The castle was owned by Roger de Montgomery on Christmas Day 1067. Roger was the first to hold the earldom of Arundel by the graces of William the Conqueror.

Between the 1870s and 1890s the house was almost completely rebuilt with beautiful gothic style architecture. The oldest feature of the castle is the motte constructed in 1068 and the gatehouse which was built in 1070. The building we see now was restored in 1900 by Henry 15th Duke of Norfolk. It was one of the first English country homes to be fitted with central heating, electric light and service lifts.

Getting Here

Address: Arundel Castle, Arundel, West Sussex, BN18 9AB

• Pay and display car park opposite the castle
• 1 hr 20 mins from London Victoria to Arundel station
• 10 min walk to castle from Arundel station

Opening dates

Open between 2nd April – 3rd November

Cost

Prices start from £11.00 with options to pay more to see all of the rooms, it costs £20.00 to see everything.

Tours

If visiting in a group of 20 you can book a group guided tour for £22pp.

Events

The castle also holds historical days with group re-enactments, fierce battles and jousting tournaments check out the what’s on page for dates.

Where to go next

Littlehampton beach

Arundel castle is only 3 miles from Littlehampton beach, where you can find a lovely stretch of sand, colourful beach huts and an amusement park with fairground rides.

Arundel Museum

The museum is located just over the road from the entrance to the castle, so you can easily drop in after your visit to the castle. Inside the museum you’ll find more information about the history of the area, going all the way back to Neolithic times. 

Arundel Cathedral

You can see the stunning cathedral from the castle gardens. It’s a Catholic cathedral and holds the relics of the 1st Earl of Arundel and St Philip Howard.

Arundel Wetland centre

This centre is a great place to go for a walk and admire the local wildlife.

Where to stay

If you’re staying the night, these are the hotels closest to Arundel Castle.

Norfolk Arms

Set in a Georgian coaching inn, each room has a unique character and traditional charm. Book the Norfolk Arms here.

Swan Hotel

Set in the heart of Arundel this hotel dates back to 1759, the hotel also has a restaurant and bar serving fresh food daily. Book the Swan Hotel here.

Check out Days Out Now where you can discover other amazing places to visit in the UK. For days out in London check out this art deco walking tour with afternoon tea at the Dorchester and this Harry Potter walking tour.

*This post contains some affiliate links at no extra cost to you. Hotel photos are from Booking.com*

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